Alajuela, Costa Rica
Alajuela is a province of Costa Rica located in the north-central part of the country, bordering Nicaragua to the north, and clockwise the provinces Heredia, San José, Puntarenas and Guanacaste. The capital is Alajuela city. The province has an area of 9,757.53 km², and a population of 876,073. The province is subdivided into 15 cantons and 111 districts.
Province of Alajuela
Location: At western side of the center of the northern zone of Costa Rica.
Coordinates: 10°34'N 84°36'W
Subdivisions: Cantons: 15, Districts: 111
Area: 9,757.53 km² (3,767.40 sq mi)
Population: 876,073 (2010)
Capital City: Alajuela.
Elevation: 952 m ASL (3,123 feet)
Average Temperature: 23.3°C (74.4°F)
Annual Rainfall: 1,500 - 2,100 mm (59-83 inches)
Features & Attractions:
 Juan Santamaría Monument & Historical Museum, Central Park, Alajuela Cathedral, Church of La Agonía.
Arenal Volcano, Poás Volcano & Juan Castro Blanco National Parks, Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, Arenal Lake, San Carlos river.
Cultural celebrations: "Fiestas Cívicas de Palmares" (Jan), "Exposición Ganadera de San Carlos" (Apr).
Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Zarcero Park & Church, Sarchí handcrafts, "Los Chorros" (Grecia) and Laguna Fraijanes recreational parks, The Bird zoo (La Garita), The Butterfly Farm (La Guácima).
La Fortuna de San Carlos, San Ramón, Ciudad Quesada, Zarcero, Palmares, Grecia and Atenas villages.
Ecotourism: Arenal Eco Zoo (El Castillo, San Ramón), Arenal Oasis EcoLodge (La Fortuna, San Carlos), Maquenque EcoLodge, La Laguna del Lagarto Lodge (Bocatapada, San Carlos).
The Province of Alajuela and its Cantons
Notes & References for this table:
[1] IGN 2009.
[2] INEC (Jan 2009).
[3] Range of temperature throughout the province.
[4] Distance (in km) and direction, from the capital of province.
[5] Altitude (in m above sea level) and temperature at the capital city of the province.
[6] Capital of province.
[7] From San José.
| Nº |
Canton Name |
Area [1] (km2) |
Population (2009) [2] |
Temp. [3] |
Capital |
km from CoP [4] |
Altitude (m ASL),
Temp. [5] |
Rainfall (mm/year) |
Foundation |
| 1 | Alajuela [6] | 388.43 |
257,382 |
| Alajuela |
20, NW [7] |
952 | 23ºC |
2,500 |
Dec 7, 1848 |
| 2 | San Ramón |
1,018.64 |
77,907 |
19-21ºC | San Ramón |
| 1,057 | 21,2ºC |
4,000 |
Aug 21, 1856 |
| 3 | Grecia |
395.72 |
75,363 |
24ºC | Grecia |
18, | 999 |
3,000 |
Jul 27, 1867 |
| 4 | San Mateo |
195.90 |
5,919 |
26-27ºC | San Mateo |
40, | 254 |
3,000 |
Aug 7, 1868 |
| 5 | Atenas |
127.19 |
25,160 |
24,5ºC | Atenas |
21, |
698 |
2,500 |
Aug 7, 1868 |
| 6 | Naranjo |
126.62 |
42,918 |
20-21,6ºC | Naranjo |
28, |
1,043 |
3,000 |
Mar 9, 1886 |
| 7 | Palmares |
38.06 |
33,585 |
| Palmares |
35 | 1,017 |
2,500 |
Jul 30, 1888 |
| 8 | Poás |
73.84 | 28,666 |
| San Pedro |
10, | 1,148 | 11.5ºC |
3,500 |
Oct 15, 1901 |
| 9 | Orotina |
141.92 |
17,970 |
| Orotina |
, |
229 |
3,000 |
Aug 1, 1908 |
| 10 | San Carlos |
3,347.98 |
152,903 |
| Ciudad Quesada |
, |
656 |
3,500 |
Sep 26, 1911 |
| 11 |
Alfaro Ruiz |
155.13 |
12,449 |
| Zarcero |
22, |
1,736 |
3,000 |
Jun 21, 1915 |
| 12 |
Valverde Vega |
120.25 |
18,525 |
| Sarchí Norte |
, | 970 |
3,500 |
Oct 26, 1949 |
| 13 |
Upala |
1,580.67 |
44,990 |
| Upala |
, | 48 |
4,000 |
Mar 17, 1970 |
| 14 |
Los Chiles |
1,358.86 |
24,130 |
| Los Chiles |
210, NNW | 43 |
3,000 |
Mar 17, 1970 |
| 15 |
Guatuso |
758.32 |
15,214 |
| San Rafael |
, |
50 |
3,500 |
Mar 17, 1970 |
Church & park of Zarcero. Alajuela, Costa Rica.
© 2010 (Derechos reservados) Costa Rica 21 S.A.
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Alajuela city is the capital for the canton and the province of Alajuela. It is the birthplace of the national hero of Costa Rica, Juan Santamaría. He was a humble boy who allow to win the decisive battle self-sacrificing and became the hero during the Campaign of 1856-1857 when Costa Rica defeated the army of the North-American filibusterer William Walker. His heroic deed is remembered and honored with the monument (2nd Ave., 2nd Street) as well as the Historical Cultural Museum. In Alajuela is located the Juan Santamaría International Airport, the main airport of Costa Rica and also named after the hero, which is located 3 km S of the capital city of the province, and 10 km O from San José.
Nearby from Alajuela city there are nature attractions like the Poás Volcano National Park (the most visited of the country), and Laguna Fraijanes Recreational Park on the road to it. Poás volcano active crater is one of the largest in the world, and its normal, moderate but impressive geyser-like activity allow visitors to admire it from the very border. Next to this crater, surrounded by a high altitude adapted forest of lush vegetation, is located the beautiful Botos lagoon, which was formed by the accumulation of the rainfall into one of the inactive craters.
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